While I was in France for a breather, the only news I got was when I connected to the WIND conference call May 21. Your question was asked by one of the analysts. In particular, the question focused on competition from Sun Microsystems because of the JavaOS announcement, and their plan to have it run NC’s and all kinds of other internet devices.
Jerry Fiddler gave an answer which I will paraphrase and greatly embellish (please do not hold Jerry to any of these forward-looking statements):
The internet is probably the biggest thing happening in this generation. The impact of the internet is awesome, offering a tremendous business opportunity for internet players. However, while everyone is talking about the possibility of developments on the client side, including NC’s, PC’s and numerous other devices, the fact is that the internet is actually expanding at an incredible rate today, given what clients currently do. The backbone services are increasing at an unbelievable rate, including expanded and upgraded intranet and internet routers, bridgers, switches, fiber optic and satellite optic links, etc. VxWorks plays an important role in many of these devices.
WIND is developing a franchise (my term) in the telecomm/datacom business, probably making this their most important sector of business - mostly thanks to the internet. Anything extra that happens on the client side is a bonus (my observation), but actually a giant amount will also happen on the client side involving VxWorks. The difference is that there will be many client-side players, including JavaOS, Wintels and other RTOS vendors.
(This is all mine) Remember the super information highway? Remember when Al Gore was going to make a Manhattan-type project out of building it? What happened? It is built, and being built all behind the scenes by large, but mostly non-government organizations. But this does not mean the task is any easier or cheaper, it is just being done privately and quietly. In very simple terms, a great deal of money is being spent today and a great deal more will be spent in future expanding intranets/internet and VxWorks is developing a franchise in that considerable market niche.
Allen, |
